Growing adoption of GM crops drives glyphosate market

The global market for glyphosate is forecast to reach 1.35 million metric tons by the year 2017. Major factors driving growth in the global glyphosate market include lack of a substitution to glyphosate, growing adoption/planting of glyphosate-ready genetically modified (GM) crops, rising use of no-till or minimum-till systems, and expected increase in bio-fuel projects in several countries worldwide.

Glyphosate represents the largest selling agrochemical product worldwide. As of 2009, glyphosate accounted for a share of about 25 percent of the global herbicides market. The herbicide continues to be a major contributor in the global crop protection sector, despite being a generic product. Current market environment in the glyphosate market is characterized by intense competition, with several generic players operating in the market, which predominantly include Chinese manufacturers.

Of late, the industry has been reeling under severe surplus capacity issues, and prices plunged substantially, creating a near crisis in the industry. The drop in demand due to factors such as the global recession brought these issues to the fore. However, things do not appear as grim for glyphosate in the future. Demand for glyphosate began picking up, and the market is expected to post positive growth in 2011, following two years of significant declines. However, much of the growth foreseeable for 2011 and 2012 is expected to be a result of volume growth, as prices continue to lurch at levels lower than the peak witnessed in 2008. Glyphosate prices began witnessing an increase in late 2010, in part accredited to increase in prices of raw materials used in its manufacture.

Asia-Pacific represents the largest regional market for glyphosate worldwide, as stated by the new market research report on glyphosate. The U.S. trails behind the Asia-Pacific market. Growth in the market would be led by Asia-Pacific, which is projected to be the fastest growing regional market during the analysis period, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of more than 10 percent. In terms of production, China is the leading producer of glyphosate in the world. In 2008, China contributed to more than 30 percent of the world’s total glyphosate production. More than 80 percent of China’s total glyphosate production is exported to around 95 countries around the globe.

Glyphostate resistance

Glyphosate has been employed as a non-specific herbicide for nearly three decades, and the continuous usage of the herbicide in crops resulted in the emergence as well as spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds in crops, such as corn, cotton, and soybeans. Resistance from problematic weeds has turned out to be one of the major concerns for the glyphosate industry, as it endangers the survival of economic crop plants. Moreover, this poses a threat to farmers employing glyphosate as the primary weed control agent.
Launch of glyphosate tolerant, genetically modified crops, and the innovation of newer glyphosate formulations that possess a mode of action different from the traditional glyphosate, constitute the two ways of managing resistant weeds, and resultantly strengthening the position of glyphosate on the herbicides market. The growing adoption/planting of glyphosate ready genetically modified crops is expected to drive growth in the global glyphosate market through to the year 2017.

Significant revenue growth and profits from the manufacture of glyphosate attracted several new players to the market after the original product, Monsanto’s Roundup, went off-patent in late 2000. Presently, Monsanto and several players in China manufacture glyphosate. In addition to these players, the glyphosate industry is also dotted with the presence of several other players, who are primarily engaged in the purchase and resale of glyphosate ingredient, and in the manufacture of glyphosate-based herbicides.

Major players profiled in the report include Monsanto Company, Syngenta AG, Nufarm Limited, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Zhejiang Wynca Chemical Group Co. Ltd., Nantong Jiangshan Agrochemical & Chemical Co. Ltd., Shandong Weifang Rainbow Chemical, Anhui Huaxing Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Dow AgroSciences LLC, among others.

The report titled “Glyphosate: A Global Strategic Business Report” announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc., provides a comprehensive review of the glyphosate market, current market trends, key growth drivers, the production scenario and China’s dominance in the global production, an overview of competitive landscape, recent industry activity, and profiles of major/niche global as well as the regional market participants. The report provides annual sales estimates and projections for the glyphosate market for the years 2009 through 2017 for the following geographic markets - U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Also, a six-year (2003-2008) historic analysis is provided for additional perspective.